Then bring up the Seawolves.

We can’t help looking that far ahead, but we should try not to. Let’s hope the Tigers aren’t. This team will be a lot of fun when it gets hot.

Even to get to 90 wins, they would need to go 74-47. Its not happening.

Don’t get me wrong, I will still watch these guys, just as I did when they lost 119 games, but I am no longer looking toward October baseball in 2008.

They will have some good games this year, but the organization better be looking toward next year, and how we can turn this around.

I’d settle for a bit of a shakeup. As bizarre as Leyland’s personnel moves have been, they’re not to blame for all-around poor play in every facet of the game. It could be, as Greg suggested, that Leyland just can’t motivate this team anymore. His departure, perhaps voluntary, is the only headline news change I see happening this season if things continue to go so poorly for the Tigers.

I forgot about Humor In Uniform. Good one. Much more apt.

I’m afraid that Dave Dombrowski has ruined the next 3-4 years for this team with his contract-happy/ farm depleting building of his fantasy-like baseball team. I look back at each and every signing and trade that was made last winter and now wish we could have all of them back– with the possible exception of Miggy. Dombrowski should get fired and never get another GM position again. An absolute bust such as this team should forever ruin his reputation as a GM.

Sheffield still has $14 million left on his deal after this year.

Carlos Guillen has $36 million left.

Nate Robertson has $17 million left after this year.

Willis has $22 million left after this year.

Bonderman has $25 million left after this year.

Polanco’s is $4.6/year with most of this years contract left and $4.6 for next year.

Renteria has an $11 million club option next year.

If you’re trading off huge contracts you do 1 of 2 things:

1) Take little in return, eat little of the contract.
2) Eat most of the contract, get more in return.

We’re not going to eat, say, $18 million of Bonderman’s remaining $25 million just to get ‘a real 3B’ or outfielder or whatever else.

If a rebuilding process was just so simple as “trading off so and so” it wouldn’t take teams like Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Cincinnati, or Detroit 10-15 years each to rebuild to being relevant.

Polanco – would miss him but one of the more consistent players and would get two nice B level prospects for him.

Sheff- release him is all i can say.

Bondo- Trade for much needed relief or a real 3B. Maybe a A level prospect for him if he gets better?

Ordonez- maybe Im still not sure we should trade him.

Renteria- same way maybe he’ll come around -if not then Trade for a nice OF or IF prospect B/A Level?

Pudge- not sure what we could get for this guy, maybe B level or two C level?

Nate/D-Train- unload for C level prospects maybe nate and willis for one guy just get them off our payload?

Finally I hate to say this but either Curtis or Miggy need to go. If we want a true firesale with good prospects in return Curtis or Miggy will have to go in a package for good prospects.

FILL INS for rest of ’08

2B- Scott Sizemore- ripping AA up in erie last time I saw.
CF- not sure because I dont think Tigs will part ways. if so Raburn, Joyce
SP- Galarraga for bondo, Tata for Nate, and Fossum or a nice rising quite star Eddie Bonine for Willis.
LF- Matt Joyce hands down. Or Ryan Raburn.
DH- Guillen to DH no matter if he whines or not about it.
SS?-Santiago, great glove, showing promise with bat.
3B?- Well, not sure Hessman or Holliman could play there.
C- Inge cant do much worse then Pudge behind the plate.

Comments on this?

Pollanco– a good player who I would miss a lot, but the Tigers could get a lot for him from a contender

Ordonez– Similar to Poly, Tigers could ask for a lot to a contender looking to add last year’s batting champ to their lineup.

Sheffield– Just unload the contract. Get rid of him. Trade for a bag of balls.

Renteria– Maybe Atlanta would trade us back Gorkys Hernandez so the can get back their ’07 SS… There they can pat themselves on the back for getting Jair Jurjjens for nothing.

Dan Uggla’s home run count in May: 8.
The Tigers as a team: 7.
Minus those from Joyce: 5.

Weeee.

Well, Brian, I’m not an advocate of total self-denial.
I adhere to a regimen of one beer for every inning the Tigers leave men on, good for a steady buzz that sustains me through the post-game analysis.